Happy New Year!

It's 2015... I'm 25 weeks!!  It was a double celebration this morning. Twenty-five weeks sounded soooo far away at the beginning of the pregnancy. A month ago, it sounded impossible... and even last week I was having major doubts if we'd make it this far.  Here we are!  I celebrated by sleeping until 10 and having French toast sticks.  25 weeks is the week that physicians consider this great viability with less percentage of long-term issues.

Some random facts that I've learned through this journey:  Advancement in science and medicine over the last 10 years, when it comes to preterm birth, has improved so much that a 25-week gestation baby would have had a 40% chance of survival in 2000.  Today, survival at 25-week gestation is 82% and goes up throughout the week.  Between week 24 and 25, the babies chances of survival goes up 3-4% per day... between week 25 and 26, chances of survival goes up 2-3% per day.  Mayo loves stats... and I've been clinging onto this stat in my head for over a week.  That's why in my last blog I said that every day counts... every day is HUGE at this point.

We're obviously hoping to get as far as possible and well away from 25 weeks, but that one piece of information has put me at peace for almost two weeks... that's not to say it would be a bumpy road, or as Dr. Larson says, 'A bucking bronco'... but it's something that becomes a possible reality when  you're laying on a labor bed with a panel of seven physicians standing around you throwing out this information like they're reading from a flow chart of possibilities attached to their clipboard.

I had a doctor appointment yesterday and things appear to be 'stable'.  I'm getting more comfortable with that word... two weeks ago all I wanted to hear was 'improved'... I'll take stable now.  I'm still having frequent contractions, but they've proven to not be strong enough to start any active labor.  I'm still on Procardia, so we're assuming that is helping them tame down for the time being.

2014 was an awesome year, and we were so blessed and fortunate... but I'm okay with it being in the past now because we have A LOT to look forward to.  2015 is definitely going to test our strength, patience in others, our faith, and our marriage... and I'm SO ready to take it head on.  I was laying on the couch last night thinking how this will be our last quiet New Year Eve.  From here on out we'll have giggles, whining, and crying... and then in 16 years, nights of staying up worrying where the heck our children are at all hours of the night... It's all good.  I'll just need to come back and reread this blog post to keep myself from losing my marbles.

Thank you AGAIN to ALL of our friends and family who have been here for us offering anything and everything to help us get through this... Just the simple messages I get saying "Still praying for you!" make my day.  The love and selflessness of all of our friends and family is so humbling.  We are SO blessed!!!  I hope everyone had a great new years eve and have a happy and healthy New Year!

(Since it's New Years Day, AND Thursday (throwback Thursday)... here are some pictures from our 2014)